Gallery
Express feelings and ideas through calligraphy works.
A place to belong/ Sanctuary
Calligraphy Style: Northern Wei Regular Script (北魏楷書)
Dimensions: H 69 cm x W 34 cm
About："ibasho" (居場所) is a Japanese term composed of two parts: "i" (居), meaning to exist or reside, and "basho" (場所), meaning place or position. Beyond a physical residence, "ibasho" refers to a space where one feels safe, comfortable, and a true sense of belonging.
For the Japanese, finding one's own "ibasho" is one of life's most vital quests. In Hong Kong, the relentless pressures of life and work often force us to play the role of a "successful" person in the eyes of society, causing us to gradually lose touch with our true feelings and thoughts.
Through this work, I hope to remind myself—and others—to listen to the authentic voice within. Regardless of age, we should never stop seeking an "ibasho" that brings peace to both body and mind. Even if it has not yet been found, we should embrace and enjoy the journey of searching.
This piece is executed in the Northern Wei style, characterized by its upright, robust, and solid brushwork, which perfectly complements the theme of seeking a stable and grounded place to belong.
To understand the world is true learning; to master social wisdom is the art of living.
Original Author: Cao Xueqin, excerpt from "Dream of the Red Chamber"
Calligraphy Style: Running Script
Dimensions: H 68 cm x W 27 cm
About: "A thorough understanding of all things in the world and their underlying causes makes for genuine knowledge; a mastery of human relations and social wisdom leads to true literature." The essence of learning lies in maintaining curiosity and applying acquired knowledge to daily life. To maintain good relationships, one must understand the human heart and know when to advance or retreat. Unfortunately, human emotions are delicate and people often do not say what they truly mean, making it inherently difficult to fully understand others. Therefore, I have always admired creators who possess keen sensitivity and profound insight into human nature. With their deep understanding of worldly wisdom and solid foundation of knowledge, they can effortlessly create movies, novels, and various literary works that deeply touch the human heart.
After Zhao Mengfu (Yuan Dynasty): The Heart Sutra, 3 pages
Author: Zhao Mengfu
Calligraphy Style: Running Script
Dimensions: H 27 cm x W 40 cm
About: This piece was written on a day when I felt restless and distracted. After transcribing the sutra, I was able to reorganize my cluttered thoughts and find the strength to carry on with daily life.
Ease/ Serenity
Calligraphy Style: Regular Script
Dimensions: H 38 cm x W 58 cm
About: To face the various matters of life without letting emotions and thoughts dominate one's mind and behavior, and to maintain a peaceful heart at all times—this is the essence of serenity.
Exhibited at Tai Yau Plaza, Wan Chai.
After Zhao Mengfu (Yuan Dynasty): Ode to the Red Cliff, 5 pages
Author: Su Shi
Calligrapher: Zhao Mengfu
Calligraphy Style: Running Script
Dimensions: H 27 cm x W 40 cm
About: The "First Ode to the Red Cliff" was originally written by the great Northern Song litterateur Su Shi, documenting his reflections during a boat trip to the Red Cliff in Huangzhou with friends. The text discusses both the brevity of life and the eternity of change. Even today, Su Shi's life philosophy continues to resonate deeply.I particularly like the middle section where the friend laments that life is as ephemeral as a mayfly in the universe and as tiny as a grain of millet in the vast ocean*. In the final section, Su Shi responds with metaphors of the river and the moon^: life is like a river, constantly flowing; it is also like the moon, waxing and waning. He points out that although all things in heaven and earth are constantly changing, their essence remains unchanged. From the perspective of the unchanging, the people, events, and things in this world are all infinite, allowing the tone of the essay to shift from sorrow to joy.Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty was most famous for his Running and Regular scripts, advocating for "infusing the charm and spirit of Jin Dynasty calligraphy into the precise and rigorous methods of the Tang." Zhao reinterpreted Su Shi's "Ode to the Red Cliff" in running script, with natural and fluid brushwork that exudes the elegance of the Jin Dynasty, balanced spacing, and a spirited, ethereal quality. By practicing Zhao Mengfu's version, one can better understand the exquisite brushwork and meticulous layout of the ancients.
*Excerpt (1) from Su Shi's original text: "We are but mayflies between heaven and earth, a mere grain of millet in the vast ocean."「寄蜉蝣於天地，渺滄海之一粟。」
^Excerpt (2) from Su Shi's original text: "Do you know the nature of the water and the moon? The water flows away like this, yet it is never gone; the moon waxes and wanes like that, yet it never increases or decreases. If we look at things from the perspective of change, then heaven and earth cannot last for even a blink of an eye; but if we look at them from the perspective of the unchanging, then both things and ourselves are infinite."「客亦知夫水與月乎？逝者如斯，而未嘗往也；贏虛者如彼，而卒莫消長也。蓋將自其變者而觀之，則天地曾不能以一瞬；自其不變者而觀之，則物於我皆無盡也。」
Free and Easy
Calligraphy Style: Running-Regular Script
Dimensions: H 35 cm x W 17 cm
About: During the early years of the pandemic, the days spent at home—whether by choice or necessity—were far more frequent than ever before. Human connections dwindled, the economy declined, and feelings of uncertainty and anxiety about the future continued to rise. During that time, I was fortunate enough to discover meditation, which helped me let go of my attachment to the uncontrollable aspects of life. Through daily practice of 10 to 20 minutes, I learned to explore my various emotions. Whether it was happiness, anticipation, and positivity, or worry, disappointment, and frustration, meditation allowed me to step back and observe these rich emotions from a distance. Experiencing this spiritual freedom has made life lighter and more positive. This piece, "Free and Easy," is a blessing I created for a dear friend, wishing her a future filled with absolute freedom and boundless happiness.
Pen Calligraphy Artwork (I)
Content: Excerpted Study of Zhao Mengfu's "Ode to the Nymph of the Luo River"
Calligraphy Style: Running Script
Dimensions: H 23 cm x W 34 cm
About: In the Yuan Dynasty, Zhao Mengfu transcribed Cao Zhi's moving "Ode to the Nymph of the Luo River" from the Three Kingdoms period in elegant and fluid running script. The romantic imagery of the love between a human and a goddess in Cao Zhi's writing complements Zhao's rounded and vigorous brushwork, transforming the literary atmosphere into a peak of visual art and creating a timeless classic that fuses calligraphy and literature.
This piece is a pen calligraphy excerpted study of the "Ode to the Nymph of the Luo River," written in July (Summer).
Pen Calligraphy Artwork (II)
Content: The impact of literature is difficult to measure; it does not provide direct answers, but rather grants people more opportunities to reflect.
Original Author: Jiang Xun "Ten Lectures on Life"
Calligraphy Style: Running-Regular Script
Dimensions: H 8 cm x W 18 cm
About: In literature, even when reading the same story, different readers will derive their own unique inspirations and insights. This is much like life itself—even with the same experiences, everyone walks away with vastly different realizations.
After leaving full-time employment, I tried many new things and embraced various challenges. In addition to continuous learning and teaching classes, I took up studies in traditional Chinese medicine dietary health, maintained daily habits of meditation and stretching, read extensively, and advanced my Japanese language skills. However, giving up a stable income occasionally makes me question whether it was a good decision.
If forced to choose between "good" or "bad," I feel it is not a black-and-white answer. Life is a mix of many emotions: excitement, low moods, satisfaction, self-doubt, and gratitude. What seems like a bad thing at this moment can evolve into a good thing if you go with the flow, and vice versa. Letting go of the grip on rigid beliefs of what is "good" or "bad" is, in itself, a form of liberation.
Pen Calligraphy Artwork (III)
Content: We spend the first half of our lives striving to become adults; perhaps we should spend the second half learning how to live like a child.
Original Author: Unknown (Internet Quote)
Calligraphy Style: Running-Regular Script
Dimensions: H 8 cm x W 18 cm
About: As we grow older, a child still lives deep within us. Though this inner child is often timid and fearful, she always provides the most honest answers whenever I lose my way. We do not need to look outward for the answers we seek; exploring within will naturally reveal the truth.